Means for handling shells.



L F. SCHOTT.

MEANS FOR HANDLING SHELLS.

lAPPLICATION FILED NOV- 2 LQHI. 1,302,861.

Patented May 6, 1919.

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1. F. scHoTT.

MEANS'FOR HANDLING sHELLs. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 191B.

1,3025861 Patented vMay 6, 1919.

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JOSEPH FULLMER SCHOTT. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0LINK--` BELT COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR HANDLING SHELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, i949.

Application filed November 2, 1918. Serial No. 260,810.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH FULLMER SCHOTT, acitizen of the United States, re-

siding in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have4 invented certainImprovements in Means for Handling Shells, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to certain improvements in hoists for handlingshells which are in the process of being filled.

The object of the invention is to provide means for quickly handlinglarge shells and transferring them from one table to another and from avertical position to a horizontal position and vice versa.

While the invention is especially applicable for handling shells in agas filling plant, it will be understood that the invention can be usedfor handling other than gas shells and can also be used for handling anyobject of a shape that can be grasped by the gripping means.

. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation illustrating my improved shellhandling machine and showing the shell in the vertical position Fig. 2is a front elevation, the shell being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the lower portion of the machine, showing theshell in a hori- Zontal position;

Fig. 4 is a rear view looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the gripping means for holding theshell, and

Fig. G is a view illustrating the depending frame mounted to turn on thetrolley.

1, 1 are two overhead beams on which are mounted rails 2. 3 is a trolleyhaving flanged wheels 4 mounted on axles 5, 5% These wheels are arrangedto travel on the tracks 2. The axle 5 is extended, as shown in Fig. 3,and on the end of the axle is a grooved chain wheel 6 around whichpasses a chain 7 so that on pulling the chain on one side of the wheelthe trolley is moved in one direction and on pulling the chain on theopposite side of the wheel the trolley is moved in the oppositedirection.

8, 8 are two depending frames in the forni of channel irons and, in thepresent instance, there are two channel irons on each side. Thesechannel irons are spaced apart to form a guideway 9 for the cross head10, which has a portion 11 extending` into the guideways 9. Attached tothis cross head is a piston rod 12 which passes through a stu'lling boX13 in a cylinder 14 mounted on the trolley 3 and on the upper end of thepiston rod is a piston within the cylinder. The cross head has anextension 15 which is forked and has bearing 16 at its lower end.Mounted in the bearings is a shaft 17 on which is mounted a pivotedframe 18. On each end of the shaft is an arm 19. The frame 18 carriesthe gripping jaws which grasp the shell a', as clearly shown in Fig 1.The arms 19 are connected to the forked head 20 attached to a piston rod21 which extends into a cylinder 22 and has the usual head. The grippingjaws are pivoted to the frame 18 at 23 and each jaw 24 has a curvedsection 25 shaped to engage the body of the shell and preferably lined,as at 25, with material similar to the ordinary brake lining. Each jawhas a rearwardly extending arm 26. A cylinder 27 is pivoted at 28 to onejaw, while a rod 29 is pivoted at 80 to the other jaw. The rod eX- tendsinto the cylinder and has a piston on its end adapted to the cylinder.31 is a supply pipe communicating with the inner end of the cylinder.The several cylinders are connected by pipes with any suitable pressuremechanism, pneumatic, hydraulic, or steam, so that by operating thevalves in the ordinary manner the mechanism can be controlled.

The operation of the machine is as follows I will describe the inventionas used linl handling shells in a gas filling plant. These shells arearranged in a vertical position on a table, or on a car, and are filledwith liquid in the ordinary manner. The upper end of the shell isclosed. It is the usual practice, after the shells are filled withliquid to lay each shell on its side, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

.so as to detect any leakage at the filling opening. The shell is thenremoved from the lilling station. This is generally accomplished by handwith small shells, but with larger shells it is impossable to handlethem quickly and carefully by hand. The shells must be handled quickly,as any delay would materially interfere with the output. Therefore, assoon as a shell is filled the jaws of the machine grasp the shell, asindicated in Fig. 1. The valves controlling the piston in the cylinder14 are then operated so as to raise the cross head 10 with the shell toa given height, then the trolley is moved on its rails so as to bringthe shells above a testing table. The valve mechanism for controllingthe fluid in the cylinder 22 is operated so as to turn the shell fromthe vertical position, Fig. l, to the horizontal position, Fig. 2. Thenthe cross head 1() is lowered so as to lay the shell onto the testingtable and the machine is moved to its Iirst position.

While I have shown the machine provided with a single jaw, it will beunderstood that it can be provided with two or more jaws mounted on asingle frame, which is con- -trolled by a single cylinder and piston.

It will also be understood that the location of the different cylindersmay be changed without departing from the essential features of theinvention. Any suitable means may be used for actuating the severalmovable devices, as the object is to provide means for grasping theshell andl turning it from one position to another.

In some instances, I may provide means for pivoting the 'handling deviceon Jthe overhead trolley, as shown in Fig. GQ In this instan-ce, thetrolley 8a may have a circular track on which rests a flanged bearingplate 32 carrying the suspended frame 38 and the operating cylinder 14,or, instead of a bearing plate, rollers, or balls, may be used, the ideabeing to provide a device that will travel not only on the track, butwill also be capable of being turned so as to allow a shell to be placedin any position desired.

lVhile the invention is especially adapted for handling shells in gasfilling plants, it may be used for handling other shells, particularlythose of the larger type, and other objects which have to be quickly andcarefully transferred from one point to another.

I claim:

1. The combination in a machine for handling shells and like objects, ofan overhead trolley; rails on which the trolley is mounted; a cross headcarried by the trolley;

means for raising and lowering the cross head; a frame pivoted at'thelower end of the cross head; means for turning the frame on its pivot;jaws for grasping the shell pivotally mounted on the frame; and meansfor guiding the jaws so that a shell can be grasped, lift-ed,transferred and turned from a vertical position to a horizontalposition.

2. The combination of an overhead rail; a trolley mountedon the rail;depending guides carried by the trolley; a cross head adapted to theguides; a cylinder on the trolley; a piston rod 'connected to the crosshead and extending into the cylinder and having a piston therein; aframe pivotally mounted on the lower end of the cross head an arm on thepivot; a piston rod connected to the frame; a cylinder into which thepiston rod extends, said cylinder being mounted on the cross head; jawscarried by the frame and arranged to grasp a shell; and means foractuating the jaws.

8. The combination of overhead rails; a trolley mounted on the rails andhaving depending guides; a cross head adapted to the guides and arrangedto move vertically; a cylinder mounted on the trolley; a piston rodsecured to the cross head and extending into the piston; said piston rodhaving a piston therein; bearings on the end of an extension of thecross head; a pivot shaft mounted in the bearings; a frame mounted framefor engaging the means for opening and closing the jaws; an arm on eachend of the pivot shaft; a head to which the arms are secured; a pistonrod connected to the head; and a cylinder mounted on the cross |head andinto which the piston rod extends.

4. The combination of overhead rails; a

Ytrolley mounted on the rails; depending guides; a cross head mounted inthe guides; means for raising and lowering the cross head; a framepivoted to the lower end of the cross head; means for turning the frameon the pivots; a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the frame andarranged to grasp a. shell; said jaws having rearwardly extending arms;a cylinder pivotally mounted on one arm; a piston rod mounted on theother arm; said rod having a piston adapted to the cylinder so that whenthe cylinder is under fluid pressure the jaws will be closed and willgrasp the shell and when the pressure is released the jaws will beopened, releasing the shell.

5. The combination in apparatus for handling shells, of. an overheadtrack; a carriage thereon having a turn table; a frame mounted on theVturn table; means for grasping a shell; means for moving a shell eitherto the vertical' or to the horizotal position;

and means for raising and lowering the ygripping mechanism.

G. The combination of an overhead trolley having dependlng guides; across .head

vadapted to slide vertically in the guides;

JOSEPH FULLMER SCHOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C."

-on the pivot shaft; jaws carried by the`

